Compare towns
Kittery vs Stratham vs Dover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Stratham has the highest household income ($152k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Kittery | Stratham | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,473 |
7,754Lowest |
33,364Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±2.3Highest 20% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kittery and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,607±$100Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$9,781Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stratham and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 133 in ME | #43 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Kittery Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Dover School District |
| High school in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town | Dover Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.